


Tall, Dark and Broodys (and Dames Who Can Kick Their Tails)

by Whedonista93



Series: Soul Mate AU [5]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, BAMF Buffy, F/M, First Meetings, Meet-Cute, Rare Pairings, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Team Up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-19
Updated: 2016-07-19
Packaged: 2018-07-25 08:23:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7525387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whedonista93/pseuds/Whedonista93
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>^^^ Read the tin ^^^</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have not watched Civil War, nor have I read the post-show Buffy comics, therefore none of that is canon. This is a 'verse I definitely have plans of expanding if there's enough interest. :)

“One of these days, I will kick my fascination with tall, dark, and broodys.” Buffy muttered under her breath.

“No you won’t.” Willow informed her cheerfully.

Buffy tore her gaze from Mr. Tall, Dark, and Broody to glare at her best friend.

 

“Since when do pretty dames who can kick your tail attract your attention, Buck? Thought that was my schtick.” Steve drawled casually.

Bucky’s head snapped back toward him, scowl firmly in place, “Don’t know what you’re talking about, punk.”

Steve smirked down at him, “The pretty little blonde you can’t take your eyes off… pretty sure she’s a force to be reckoned with if the rumors are true.”

“Rumors?” Bucky looked interested, despite his best efforts.

“You actually met her yet?” Steve asked instead of answering.

“No.”

“Neither have I. Coulson hasn’t told me much… said we’ll find out at the meeting this afternoon, but Hill made some comment about this dame probably being able to to hand the Hulk his own tail.”

“Meeting?”

 

Giles stood at the head of the conference room, alongside Coulson, and cleared his throat. “If we could have your attention.”

All eyes turned to the front. Except for Bucky, who was still staring at the blonde, who was staring at Natasha with a quizzical look on her face.

“Sergeant Barnes, if you’d care to join the class?” Coulson requested mildly.

Bucky’s head snapped toward the front with a slight glower that was undermined by the accompanying blush.

“Thank you.” Coulson acknowledged flatly, “If you can all maintain your focus, we will make this as brief and painless as possible. As you all know, there has been a substantial increase in alien and… er, other-worldly activity in recent years. We believe that teaming up will give us an advantage we are currently lacking.”

Tony raised his hand.

“Yes, Mr. Stark?” Coulson had an air of long-suffering.

Tony smirked, “Right, two questions. One, what’s the difference between ‘alien’ and ‘other-worldly’ here? And two, who, exactly, are we teaming up with? Your hosting manners suck, Coulson. You haven’t introduced us.”

“Rupert Giles, head of the International Watcher’s Council.” Coulson gestured.

Giles stepped forward, “And the difference is this: alien’s come from outer space while what Director Coulson refers to as ‘other-worldly’ is, quite plainly put, demonic.”

“Demonic?” Tony sounded skeptical. “Okay, putting a pin in that. What, exactly, does this council watch over?”

“Slayers.” Giles answered.

“Right. And those are?”

“Once upon a time, there was one Slayer, one girl given the power, called to combat the darkness, to battle the demons and vampires. To protect the world from the monsters. Now, the status quo has changed. There are thousands of Slayers. And Director Coulson and I believe that teaming the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. with the Slayers will lead to an overall safer world, and quite frankly, less work together than we are currently all doing on our own.”

“The Slayers can help us, train us, teach us how to deal with demons and monsters we have no way of discovering how to combat, and we can do the same for them in regards to aliens.” Coulson continued, “It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

“Long story short,” the brunette standing behind the blonde smirked, “We can kick your ass, pretty boy.”

“Fine.” Tony piped back up, “Say I buy into all that… how do we know this whole thing isn’t just some crock of shi-”

“Want a demonstration?” the blonde perked up.

“Buffy, do you really thin-” Giles tried to object.

Buffy waved him off with a sunny smile, “I got this, Giles.”

 

Ten minutes later, the assorted group of Slayers, Watchers, S.H.I.E.L.D., and Avengers stood scattered around one of the facilities training rooms.

Buffy stood in the middle of the room, still in jeans, a tank top, and high-heeled boots, arms relaxed at her side, “So… any volunteers?”

After a beat of silence, a junior S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, still more full of bravado than sense, stepped forward.

Buffy smiled sweetly and shook her head at him, “Sorry, kid, but you would not prove my point.” She scanned the room until her gaze landed on Bucky and Steve. Her smile grew, “How about one of the super soldiers?” 

Clint barked out a laugh, “Steve doesn’t hit girls. Bucky spars with Nat often enough, though.” 

Green eyes turned on him expectantly. Bucky shrugged and stepped onto the mat, tossing his jacket aside as he went. He didn’t think it was possible, but Buffy’s smile grew further as she changed her stance ever so slightly, but left her hands at her sides until it became clear he wasn’t moving. She impatiently curled her fingers at him - a “Come at me” gesture if he ever saw one. He quirked an eyebrow, a silent, “Are you sure?” and she just grinned, so he lunged. He never landed a single hit. She was  _ fast _ , faster than Steve and at least as strong - she even caught his metal fist without so much as a flinch. She also clearly had years of experience using her small frame to her advantage. It wasn’t until he was on his back, rubbing his sore ass and staring up at her, that he realized she had never even actually hit him - she had only been playing defense. He imagined it would be a thing of beauty to see her actually attack.

In the end, Bucky himself was the one to break the stunned silence in the room as she offered a hand and effortlessly hauled him to his feet, “Doll, I think I’m in love.”

Buffy froze and her hand tightened almost painfully over his. Finally, she smiled and laughed, “At least now I know why my type has always been tall, dark, and broody.”

Bucky promptly fell right back on his ass.


	2. Chapter 2

Steve herded them away from prying eyes and into the seclusion of his own apartment’s living room remarkably quickly. Buffy barely noticed when he mumbled something about giving them space and locking the door behind him before retreating.

Buffy broke the silence, speaking quietly, “Your Mark… it faded in and out for years. When it’s been there, it’s been the darkest one I’ve ever had, but there were times it was so light I thought it was gone…”

Bucky’s voice rasped low, “Cryo… on and off for 70 years…. 70, shit. You’ve had to deal with that your whole life. I’m sorry.”

Buffy shook her head almost imperceptibly, “I haven’t.”

“Wait, you said my Mark was the darkest you’ve ever had…”

“You’re my third.”

“The others?”

“I was born with Angel’s. It disappeared the first time I killed him. Spike’s was there the second time I came back from the dead... vanished after he sacrificed himself to save… everyone. Neither one of them stayed dead. But… we were different people. We weren’t matched anymore. Yours showed up the same time as Spike’s.”

Bucky’s head snapped up sharply, “You used to have two Marks?”

Buffy cocked her head at him curiously, “Yeah. Did you?”

He nodded slowly, “Yeah… I think. For a while.”

Buffy shrugged, “When Spike came back… he was the same but he wasn’t. He doesn’t have any Marks now. I don’t think we would’ve made a very stable Triad.” She smirked, “Would’ve had a hell of a sex life, though.”

Bucky nearly choked on his own tongue.

Buffy patted his back as he regained his ability to breathe.

Comfortable silence engulfed them for a short time before Bucky spoke again, “You were, the two of you, I guess, were my First. My only…”

She smiled sunnily at him, “And now you’re my only. Obviously my cookies finished baking.”

 

Buffy woke disoriented before realizing she was still stretched over Bucky, who was stretched over the couch. Captain America’s couch. She had fallen asleep on her soulmate on  _ Captain America’s couch. _ Xander was going to have kittens. 

Feeling eyes on her, Buffy looked up and smiled sleepily at Bucky, “Morning.”

Bucky grunted back at her.

“Not a morning person?” she asked, dropping her head back to his chest.

She could feel him shake his head.

“Thank God!”

“Good Morning, lovebirds!” another voice rang out.

Bucky groaned, “Steve, on the other hand…”

Buffy’s voice was muffled against Bucky’s chest, “If you don’t have coffee, I will hurt you.”

She heard the distinct sounds of mugs hitting the coffee table and tilted her head to offer an (almost) apologetic smile, only to be met the sight of America’s golden boy in nothing but a towel riding low on his hips.

Bucky threw a pillow at him, “Cover up in front of my girl, punk.”

“Girl doesn’t mind.” Buffy managed as Steve tried to block the pillow and simultaneously hold up his towel.

Bucky’s growl rumbled through his chest.

Buffy swatted at him absentmindedly, “Knock it off, you’re both pretty. And you you’re still my favorite.”

Bucky’s arm snaked possessively around her waist, and she snuggled further into him more than willingly.

“Guess all the hooplah over Captain America being modest and shy…” she waved a hand dismissively.

Bucky snorted, “Complete and utter bullshit,””

Steve finally managed to drop the pillow to the floor without knocking over any coffee or dropping his towel. Buffy was impressed. And speaking of coffee… she ignored Bucky’s disgruntled moan as she sat up and nearly lunged for one of the coffee cups. As she moved, a stark line of black low on Steve’s hip - he’d kept the towel on, not avoided it riding down - caught her eye and she nearly choked on her coffee.

“Buffy?” Bucky sat up, clearly concerned.

She shook her head. “Nice Mark.” she finally managed in Steve’s general direction.

Steve looked at her, then at his hip, then at her again before his eyes widened, “You recognize it.”

Buffy nodded, even though it wasn’t really a question.

“Any chance you wanna tell me?”

She shook her head, “It’ll be way too fun to watch it play out.”

Because there, in familiar handwriting - as bold as everything else about the writing’s owner - ‘ **_Five by Five_ ** ’ stood starkly against Steve’s pale skin.


End file.
